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Robert Lewis Lloyd (1822-1892)

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Robert's History

Robert Lewis Lloyd was born July 17, 1822 in Franklin, Williamson County, Tennessee. He was the youngest child of Lewis Lloyd and Amelia Talley. He was but three and one-half years old when his father passed away. His mother soon after married Tom Tilly. This made fifteen besides himself in the family so Robert went to live with his sister.

At the age of 17, he joined the Mormon Church and strongly dis-approving of this, the rest of his family would have nothing to do with him.

Being on his own, Robert took a job helping a doctor for a very small sum of money and his room and board. Here he learned many things which helped him in taking care of the many ills and accidents which occured. After working for the doctor for several years Robert moved on to Texas and went to work for Michael Goheen on a large farm. This land is where the city of Fort Worth now stands. Here he met and fell in love with Eliza Adeline, the daughter of Michael and Dorinda Moody Goheen. They were married January 8, 1852 at her home in Bastrop, Fayette County, Texas.

At this time there were two Mormon Missionaries there, James McGow and Preston Thomas. Eliza joined the church in the spring of 1853 and together with a large company of Saints prepared to leave for Utah. They left Texas under the leadership of Preston Thomas. Many of the families had large herds of cattle and mules. Taking them helped make the trip slow and tedious.

On the way Eliza's only brother died and was buried on the banks of the Red River.

They spent their first winter at Cherokee Nation, an army fort in Oklahoma. This was a blessing to the weary travelers and tired cattle. They made their headquarters in an abandoned mill. Here they held their meetings and an occasional dance.

On November 15, 1853 Robert and Eliza's first child, a little girl, was born. After a much needed and grateful rest the Saints resumed their journey in the spring of 1854, arriving in Utah in October of that year.

The Lloyds lived at Fort Harriman which was located where the city of Sandy, Utah now stands. On January 22, 1856 their second child, also a girl, was born.

At the next April Conference twenty-seven families were called by Brigham Young to go to Southern Utah to raise cotton. Among those called were Robert and Eliza, and her mother and step father. They arrived in Washinton late in the fall of 1857 after a long hard trip with ox team. On the way from Salt Lake they had trouble with the Indians and many narrow escapes. Many of their cattle were killed or run off by the Indians.

The house Robert built in Washinton was made of logs by the tongue and grove method. One morning, as his wife was preparing breakfast in a shanty near by, the house caved in, pinning Robert underneath the weight of dirt and willows which served as a roof. He had two babies on his lap, but with the quick work of neighbors none of them were hurt.

Not long after they arrived in Washington Robert was handed a notice to join the Mountain Meadow Massacre. He wished nothing to do with the affair so hooked up his oxen and went for a load of house logs while the fighting was going on. Later however he joined the Black Hawk Indian War.

The first years in Washington were hard ones but somehow they managed. The outstanding thing in the Mormon colony was their faith in Brigham Young.

On June 10, 1862 Robert was chosen tax assessor for Washington County. November 16, 1862 he was chosen second counselor to Robert D. Covington, Bishop of Washington, which position he held until 1864. At a meeting in St. George in 1862, Robert was chosen to locate a road from Harmony to St. George. This he did, assisted by Charles Stapley and Daniel D. McArthur. May 8, 1864 to January 18, 1869 he was tax collector for Washington County.

For several years due to Robert's ill health the family moved to Pine Valley for the summers and to Washington for the winters. In 1872 they moved to Pine Valley where they made their permanent home. Robert was made Justice of the Peace, which position he held the remaining years of his life. A period of twenty years.

Their first home in Pine Valley was a two room log cabin built by the men of the community. While the men built the house the women prepared the dinners which consisted mostly of corn bread and buttermilk.

Wherever Robert went he made good use of the knowledge he gained while working for the doctor in Tennessee. Pulling teeth, setting bones and taking care of the sick.

Robert spent the last seven months of his life in bed. He was suffering from an incurable disease, in those days, called inflamation of the kidneys. His suffering was beyond description, but in spite of this he never complained, just felt badly because he could not do the things he was desirous of doing.

Three days before he passed away he went into a coma. Each hour the family thought would be his last for he seemed to be barely alive. However, he rallied and started to tell his wife and my mother, Ella Lloyd Beckstrom, who were at his bedside, of a wonderful place he had been. It was such an effort for him to talk, for he was in a weakened condition, that Grandmother told him he had better rest and tell them when he was stronger.

This time never came. Robert soon passed away. Just before the end came he reached his hand out as if he was shaking hands with someone, and spoke the name of a very dear friend who had been dead a number of years. Although the family was saddened by his death they were thankful his terrific suffering had ended.

He died November 28, 1892 at the age of seventy. He was the father of twelve children.

Last Will and Testament of His Father, Lewis Lloyd

LEWIS LLOYD, DECEASED. WILL APRIL TERM 1826

In the name of God, Amen.

I Lewis Lloyd of the County of Williamson and State of Tennessee, being weak in body but of sound and perfect mind and memory, do make and publish this my last will and testament in manner and form following, that is to say, after all my lawful debts are paid I want all my real and personal estate to be left in the hands of my beloved wife, Amelia Lloyd, with an exception of all the money arising from the sale of the last crop of cotton and tobacco which money is to be divided among my seven oldest children, except Mary T. Koonce with a reduction of twenty-five dollars and like-wise Sarah Eastep with the same reduction of twenty-five dollars.

I give to my beloved wife One hundred Dollars to school my eight youngest children. I also desire her my beloved wife to keep the real and personal estate together and to make whatever improvements she can on the estate, until my youngest son Robert Lewis arrives at the age of fourteen, and at that period I want all the estate both real and personal that there is, to be sold to the highest bidder, and an equal division to take place among my wife and fifteen children, with an exception of one black boy named Billy which I give to my beloved wife during her life or widowhood at which period of time he is to be sold and the money to be equally divided among all my children. Nevertheless I want in the division of the money of the first sale, that is, when my son Robert Lewis arrives to the age of fourteen, for my eight youngest children to receive over and above the equal division such sums as may make them equal in proportion with my seven oldest. All my books I leave them all as a family library. Lastly I make or appoint my beloved wife and trusty friend Samuel Eastep Executrix and Executor of this my last will and testament, hereby revoking all former wills by me made. In witness thereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal this 31st day of December in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and twenty five.

Lewis Lloyd (Seal)

Signed, sealed, published and declared by the above Lewis Lloyd to be his last will and testament, in the presence of us who have hereunto subscribed our names as witnesses in the presence of the testator.